South India

Love Jihad: Kerala High Court declines plea against Muslim man

Thiruvananthapuram: Observing that the woman has taken a the decision with her free will and pleasure, the Kerala High Court on Tuesday declined to interfere in the marriage of a Christian woman to a Muslim man.

The appeal was filed by the woman’s father against the marriage alleging it as a case of ‘love jihad’. Telling the court that his daughter had been illegally detained, woman’s father filed a habeas corpus plea seeking directions to the police to produce her before him.

However dismissing the plea, the court noted in its order, “She has categorically stated she has decided to marry… of her own free will and not under any compulsion. She has also stated that as of now she is not interested in interacting with her parents or family, and will do so at a later stage.” PTI reported.

Saying that it understood the concern of the woman’s family, the Court however, pointed out that it cannot compel the woman as she is a 26-year-old capable of making her decisions. 

The couple told that they have no plan to meet the woman’s parents before the licence under the Special Marriage Act which they had applied for was granted.

Claiming that he lacked faith in Kerala Police, the father wanted an agency from outside the state, like the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to investigate.

As reported by Hindustan Times, the marriage also sparked a political row because the man is a member of the ruling CPI(M)’s youth wing, the Democratic Youth Federation of India or DYFI.

‘Love jihad’ is a term coined by right-wing groups that alleges Muslim men seduce Hindu women into marriage to convert them. 

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